In manufacturing facilities, welding processes are often performed by different operators, using various kinds of equipment. Welds performed during a particular step of a manufacturing process frequently include, for example, both hand-held welds and automatic welds performed by fixed automatic and robotic systems. Many of these welding processes, particularly the automated processes, are controlled by individuals who are not trained welders, but rather are trained simply to push a button to start a weld process. The weld is then performed by a robot, or by fixed automation positioning equipment. These processes are typically programmed by welding engineers, and stored in the welding equipment for use by the operator to ensure the quality of the weld.
Other processes, particularly hand-held welding processes, require more highly skilled individuals. These individuals often have specific preferences regarding welding processes and parameters, and also personal preferences as to how the welding system is configured. These individuals, therefore, prefer to set up the equipment themselves, and to select their own processes and commands.
Throughout the course of a day, moreover, different shifts of operators can use the same welding equipment. These operators often perform welds on different parts and components. Different welding parameters, processes, and operator preferences, therefore, can be associated with each shift, each operator, and each part that is welded in the facility, and at each work station.
In these environments, therefore, to maintain a high level of efficiency, it is important for the welding equipment to be flexible, so that equipment can be easily configured for different welding processes, operators, and parts. It is also important, however, for management personnel to monitor and control the welding processes and parameters to ensure consistent and proper joining of materials, to ensure that completed welds fall within predetermined quality parameters, and to ensure that material waste and operational downtime is avoided.
Present welding control systems often include a limited number of weld processes and programs, which are closely correlated to a weld sequencer. These systems, therefore, allow only a fixed number of different welding options in any given welding system. These systems, moreover, do not allow the welding system to be easily re-configured for different stages of a weld process, or for different operators or different parts. The present invention addresses these issues.